No quote necessary…

~~Patrick Egan

[Photo credit: Google search.]

This morning I was reading an article in The Guardian about Amazon Echo (Alexa). It was written by a journalist from the UK. I learned how much that is spoken by me and Mariam is stored in a server…somewhere. The writer told of how he now knows of his daughter’s musical tastes. It’s all been archived…somewhere.

That, of course, led me to think of what I’ve asked Alexa to do for me, list for me, and to play for me. So, I did what you’d expect me to do on a morning like this, on a day like this…Dylan’s birthday.

Me: “Alexa, play a Bob Dylan song in honor of his birthday.”

She complied and immediately Blowin’ in the Wind came through the speaker. I’ve heard the song for far too many years than I care to reflect on just now. Trust me, dear reader, I heard the song about as many times as he has played it in concert. (Not really, but it sounds good to write that.)

As usual, a few words, a phrase, a tone came to me in a unique way. As I grow older, his words take on new meanings.

…And you better start swimmin’

Or you’ll sink like a stone…

These days, these horrific, soul-destroying, mind-torturing, heart-breaking days, where we are watching the fall of a culture of generosity and the rise of a culture of selfishness and greed…his words are truer now than they were when he wrote them.

We came out of the tumultuous 1960s a better and more humane society. I am so terrified that it will take a generation or two to repair the damage being done this very day.

Every American, every citizen of the planet should start swimmin’, before they drain the sea.

So, Happy Birthday, Bob Dylan!!!!!

You were right all along.